In Rowse's view, Nugget Coombs, with his breadth of concerns, his finely tuned ecological, cultural and economic antennae,
and his technical competence, is the fit, in fact a better, prophet for any viable new Australian settlement. It is a
provocative claim but, if taken up and argued with proper seriousness, then Tim Rowse's account of this extraordinary
Australian will have done its proper work. Nugget Coombs- public thinker, public servant, economist, social reformer,
Governor of the Reserve Bank, Aboriginal advocate, cultural initiator and great Australian- modesty was the genuine article.